Why I Value Training and Courses Over University Education
I have never been a huge proponent of school and the current way it is set up.
For context, for those that don't know, I am currently a student at the University of California, Davis studying for my B.A. in Economics and an emphasis on Data Analytics and Economic Analysis. I originally came into college as a B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major but switched soon after my first year. And now, I am in my third year (which I am planning as my last year) to graduate.
But as someone with some college education, why do I not support the current system?
Reasons I'm not a fan of formal higher education
For many people, I feel that higher education doesn't offer anything substantial considering its cost. Sure, if you are going into engineering, medical, or other technical STEM fields, higher education is practically a must, not only from the technical skill standpoint but also for credentials as you require credibility. (Fun Fact: in Canada, engineers actually get an iron ring to commemorate and swear an ethical oath to providing a high level of professional conduct in their profession because of a failure in engineering the Quebec Bridge).
However, for other majors in college, learning by doing is more efficient. For example, while you can study design and its various principles in a college setting, by actually partaking in design work, students can learn in a more natural way: making mistakes.
Another example dear to me is entrepreneurship. Many times, the professors who run these courses aren't even entrepreneurs, or they have stayed so long out of the industry that they don't contain current knowledge and challenges. Entrepreneurs (successful ones at least) are those who do, learn, pivot, and repeat (thanks Sophia Bera)! The fortitude needed is not something that is taught.
These majors could, and I believe, should, be replaced with certificates and certifications. It is much more efficient to teach these majors in a framework better adapted to their development rather than trying to fit them in the current framework. For example, at UC Davis as an Economics student, I literally only have 44 units of upper-division courses. But I am required to take at least 64 upper-division units and 180 total units to graduate. Why is it that I have to take 136 extra units to graduate? Not only is it a waste of time to take General Education courses I'm hardly interested in, but it's also a money and effort sink. I could simply take my 44 units within a single year and get a similar education value.
And quite honestly, I've learned more from sites like Skillshare and Coursera than my formal education. You learn from industry professionals in whatever topic you want to learn. Not only does it force you to engage in only what you are interested in, but these are also offered at Netflix level costs (except they're 100x more useful). I always reference my pseudo-mentor Thomas Frank, but he has an entire productivity course on there that set up my entire productivity system.
Certifications, especially in the Financial Planning world, seem to be everything. As an active job seeker, I read descriptions that say Bachelor's preferred, but they almost never specify that it has to be a Bachelor in Financial Planning. In fact, financial planners are predominantly career changers who hold other advanced degrees. These job ads focus on CFP Practitioners rather than a college education, again for that practical experience. We see similar processes in other fields like management and consulting.
So what, don't go to college?
I think that students need to refocus on if they truly need college. If you don't need it, you can avoid the average $30,000 USD of student loan debt, and save 4 years of your life that you can truly build better technical skills. There are a ton of other options, and I believe that in the future, college won't be the default for many students.
With current discourse and a bit of light encouragement, many companies like Google offer certificate programs that teach you everything you need to know about a specific job at the company. Moreover, other tech giants are not requiring college education anymore for many jobs and placing focus on practical skills.
Of course, and I repeat, for some people, college is a must. I'm talking to you technical-fields people (medical, engineering, etcetera). And more power to you! I think it makes sense for these people to have proper technical training before placing them in the field where they often have lives in their hands.
Live intentionally.